'Parking scheme has just moved problem along' - Redland businessman says council needs to sort out "nightmare" it has created

A NEW parking scheme in Cotham has solved a long-standing problem for residents – but created a "nightmare" in nearby Redland.

That's the view of Robert O'Leary, a director of an architects' practice in Alexandra Park who believes the city council should have given more thought to the consequences of introducing the Cotham scheme.

He said only about half of the parking spaces in Cotham are in use during the day which means streets remain empty while commuters are forced out to neighbouring Redland which has clogged the streets with cars.

He said this was now causing a huge problem for residents and businesses in an area which has a mix of shops, offices, small-sized firms, houses and flats.

Mr O'Leary said: "The problem is parking for all of the people who work in and around the Residents' Parking Scheme (RPS).

"Anyone working outside the RPS and affected by the restrictions cannot park there.

"Similarly, there are relatively few businesses within the RPS to make use of the few permits made available to them."

He said the result was that commuters now have to leave their cars further out – in Redland – while roadspace in Cotham is not used during the day.

He said: "I do worry about the long-term effects this will have on my business. Until little over two months ago, we had an ideal location for walking to and from work, for driving when we needed to, for staff to park and for visitors to come and see us.

"Now we can hardly even use the pavements as the roads are so narrow that cars go one wheel up on the kerb – otherwise the bin lorries can't get by.

"The parking problems have been caused by a deliberate act by the council – listening to one group without listening to the effects on others.

"There appears to be no mitigation strategy and no willingness to look at how 'wasted' parking space can be put to better use for the benefit of the local community, resident or employed."

He said the answer was not to extend the RPS to incorporate Redland because this would just push the problem out to other suburbs.

Mr O'Leary said the council should be big enough to realise there were problems and take action to sort them out.

A city council spokesperson said: "The council welcomes comments on the Cotham residents' parking scheme as part of the review of the scheme which takes place in the six-month period following the go-live date.

"Residents in and around the scheme can comment by e-mailing respark@bristol.gov.uk.

"The mayor is reviewing current policy on residents' parking, and the timescales for delivering more schemes in areas where parking space is causing problems for local people and businesses.

"They are very successful and popular where they are up and running, and many more residents have come forward to enquire about the possibility for a scheme in their area."

The Cotham RPS which was introduced in December follows a similar parking scheme in Kingsdown which has now been running for two years.

Residents covered by the RPS have to pay £30 a year to park one car, £80 for two while businesses have to pay £100 for each parking permit.

People who do not have a permit have to pay to park during working hours or run the risk of a parking ticket.

The zone operates from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday. Each household is entitled to 100 visitors' permits per year, the first 50 are free and the rest cost £1 each.

7 comments

The system suggested of limiting parking restrictions to a couple of hours in the morning is an approach which works well in other cities. for example, in Wansdworth, London, the residents' parking runs between 8.30-9.30, 9.30-10.30 in adjoining roads. Visitors before that time need a guest permit from a householder. after that parking is free and completely unrestricted.
This approach has several advantages:
It largely prevents people working 9-5 from parking and walking to work.
It reduces the numbers of cars per household where there are houses in multiple occupancy.
It gives people the freedom to visit friends and local businesses for much of the day. This is extremely important if we are to support small local businesses and the sense of community enjoyed by many of our inner city 'villages'.
In th past the council has not responded to any suggestions about canvassing local needs and shown no interest in trying to establish parking zones that reflect the true needs of the local community. They have consistently offered a 'take it or leave it' option when it is obvious that there is unlikely to be a 'one-size fits all' solution. Streets in closer proximity to the centre and local hospitals, such as in Kingsdown, may need day long protection. However the further you move from the centre the less suitable such an approach becomes.
Care is needed. It is sad to see empty bays for paid for parking next to Cotham Gardens, where once mums unbundled toddlers for a play, and I worry for the future of our local shops and the many small businesses run from home. People I know are also having problems helping the elderly with meals, looking after pets while owners are away, popping into local shops on the way home.
This doesn't have to be a mess. Finding out what is needed just means doing some research - what is good practice elsewhere, what do local businesses want, what do tradesmen want, what do residents want. And then the options needed to be costed, and the impact on local businesses fully and properly taken in account.
And then we could have a parking scheme that is fit for purpose...

It is a stupid state of affairs, Cotham is empty and Redland is chock-a-block with cars, surely the best idea is to expand the scheme immediately to include Bishopston and Redland.
Making the distance to walk to work far enough that an alternative must be found by the commuters.
Typical City Council doing things in half measures created this problem, unfortunately it'll take years for them to acknowledge this and do anything about it.

On the other hand, the RPS scheme currently implemented in Cotham and Kingsdown may be able to be improved and simplified. Perhaps it's worth trying an RPS which prevents the day-long commuter or long-term student parking by having two hours during the day where non-permit holders are not permitted to park (e.g. between 10 AM and 12 noon). Local businesses can still use those streets for short-term parking outside of those hours. This seems to be the scheme which is used in parts of London.
It's the day-long commuters who arrive at 8AM and leave at 5PM and the students storing their cars on the street which are the real problems, at least in our neighbourhood.
Perhaps Bristol City Council could look at implementing a simpler, more flexible program in a city-wide rollout (which may cost less for them to monitor as well).

A comprehensive city-wide RPS is required, with schemes going as far out as 80% of commuters are willing to walk to the major commuting areas - the University and City Centre being the main ones. I agree that point-wise solutions just make the problem worse. Redland just isn't far enough from the University or City Centre to put people off parking just 5 minutes further away for free. Squeezing the balloon - demand hasn't decreased for free commuter parking, it's just moved.
The RPS as currently implemented would address the issue brought up by the welliesarmy above.
What is the University of Bristol doing to incent its staff and students to give up their cars? For example, some universities in the US give their staff free monthly bus passes as part of their benefit package to encourage them not to drive into the area, perhaps the UoB could consider this. Perhaps City Hall could also consider this... this funding into First Bus might help to bring down all of our ticket prices (shockingly expensive...).

Spot on, wellies army. Unfortunately, the Council has not been able to stem the massive change from 'family' home' to Buy to Let. Landlords - the owner of the property, whether it be an individual or a company - should be required to pay for parking.
They are not. The consequence often is 4 - 5 occupants of flats within one property all leave their car in the road. Both Tory and then Labour governments have ducked this issue, with local Councils left without a effective means to solve the problem.
Of course, in the past 20 years, increased car ownership has added to the problem ... roads in Redland, Henleaze, Westbury -all of them primarily family homes - are now also clogged by 2 (sometimes 3) car families.
Instead of attacking the Council, Robert O'Leary should be supporting his local Councillor and his MP to change the planning laws. A requirement that a housing change of use to multiple occupation has to be matched by the landlord providing and paying for parking space would certainly impact on Buy to Let. A wise Council would then also do all it can to support improved, affordable public transport. Using parking income to back this would be a sensible policy .... pardon my stifled laughter.
That will take time, and require a massive change in attitudes. Once people are confident that they can use a frequent, reliable bus, tram,train system then parking in commercial areas will become manageable.
Most northern European cities (and towns!) have achieved this integrated transport system. Here, in England, Mr O' Leary moans. And blames the Council. Ludicrous.

Posh Robert can't park his Range Rover outside his company office...how tragic.
The real issue with parking in Redland and Cothan is the number of cars owned by students, basically during the term time the streets are clogged with badly parked small cars which are just left for day, week, even month without being moved.
These are rarely local cars as many have dealer stickers from places like Kent and Sussex.
A lot of the time one shared house may have up to 6 car owners, that's 6 cars for each house along one road, do the maths yourself...
Just so little Johnny or Sarah can drive home to mummy and daddy three times a year.
Guess what/ They don't pay council tax either...